Lack of armor customization is causing me to lose interest....

Katkon

... slowly, but surely. And I'm a BIG fan of the franchise and the game.

I've been disappointed with the lack of armor customization since day 1, but upon hitting level 36 and basically being in end game armor (appearance-wise) is just dull. As an Imperial dressed an Imperial, I'm going to look like literally every other Imperial in heavy armor out there at my level. Sure, I can upgrade a piece or two - but that's a huge waste of resources when leveling up (and taking my time doing it) takes no time at all. Going slowly, I'm gaining at least 2-3 levels a day so play in all white armor. Plus, I'm constantly at the armor soft cap in all white armor.

I really think we need more appearance customization options. For example:
* Dyes - would be a huge add (as with GW2)
* Color-matching options - e.g. I upgrade my chest piece and can harmonize the look of all other armor pieces to match (e.g. SWTOR) - otherwise you look mis-matched
* More style options for heavy armor of the same racial motif - e.g. Heavy Imperial Helmet 1, Heavy Imperial Helmet 2 etc.

All in all, I would really like more customization options. The character creation customization options are great and very nuanced, but not worth much when you're adorned in full armor all the time. So I think we need more armor customization as well. It may sound vain - but if I don't look/feel unique, I simply won't enjoy playing the game. And I don't want to look completely mismatched by mixing/matching various styles either - perhaps I'm being picky, but that's how I feel!

SadisticSavior

You'll get it eventually. The game just launched.

A level 1 character can mix and match from almost 800 different complete sets of armor right now (differentiated by race/class/motif/sex/quality)....that is pretty damn good if you ask me. How many other games have that? At higher levels there is even more, and the armor itself will also change by level. I'd like this stuff too, but the game does not suck as it is right now either.

Dyes are probably a given eventually, as are more racial motifs.

ploddab16_ESO

To be honest I'd like to see more costume options put into the game, little outfits that we can put on to help hide the armour we have. At the moment, my Khajiit's rolling around in a raiment stolen from the Sea Drakes on Stros M'Kai, and as I like the look of it so much, I doubt she'll ever remove it!

amanfr01

I agree. Having some customization of gear's appearance would be a successful feature, I think. I know when I played GW2 it added tons of variety for my eyes.

Zakua

While I may not be getting bored with my look just yet, I would love to have more options like additional styles per race, color and so forth.

The more the better. I can see 4 week from now a large group of lvl50's running around and everyone has Daedric armor on...lets mix it up a bit..

lupusrex

We already have 14 different motifs for crafted armor sets. 14 unique models for each piece, armor class, and material/level, not counting gender. 14 people with identical equipment stats can look completely different. It's a lot more customization than most MMOs provide.

In other games' endgame, you tend to see lots of characters with mostly the same gear on within a few different levels of progression; it gets so monotonous that you can tell how far someone's progressed just by looking at them.

Wanting to look unique while also having a matched/consistent appearance is somewhat contradictory. Suppose they did go all out and triple the number of models/options for each motif. If you use the same motif and option for everything, you're still going to look like thousands of others who also want to match. I'm not trying to tell you what you want, but I don't understand how you would propose to reconcile those two opposites.

With that out of the way, I do agree that they could do more without creating a lot more work for the artists. Dyes are in many games now, and the ability to replace your equipment's appearance with other (cosmetic) gear is becoming more popular. I would be very pleased if they added dyes to the currently lackluster alchemy skill.

Doskias

First, what we need is a dressing room, which would help with choosing the style we like the most for that level of gear.

Second, I think the crafters should be able to add a dye to the crafting process just as another customization that gives crafting gear an advantage over dropped gear. Which will help the profitability in the marketplace. The dyes could be created by Alchemists giving them another avenue of profit.

Third, I believe we should be able to make/turn our own costumes based on a gear set you have collected and fashioned together. Make them bind to account so you can only use it.

Amaylia

I also think dyes should be added to the game.

I ran into a problem with crafting gear just recently too. I kept making the same piece of armor until I had it a color that I could bare, then after I improved the armor to blue quality the color became something awful like a dusty tan color from my nice vibrant color I had before I had improved it.

I don't think improving the armor should cause its color to randomly change. It makes me not want to improve anything, among other reasons not to improve things such as the failure chance and the rareness of the upgrade materials. So far the armors look pretty nice, but it really needs to be fine tuned a bit in the future.

Has ZOS said that they are planning to do this? I didn't see anything in a quick search.

Gisgo

There are already more armor skins compared to some MMOs.
Of course more wouldnt hurt, and i think dyes are going to be added at some point (i really hope so).

What im missing isntead are cloaks and emblems on cloaks and shields.

Jadeviper1974

Ok, seriously, you are getting bored cause your armor isn't "sparkly"?

Someone get this man an in game bedazzler, STAT!

MysticAura

It's a pretty standard addition these days, so a fairly safe assumption that they will add it in a content patch. Currently they have so much on their plates..I'm sure it'll take a while before they'll even be able to tackle it.

kreekitb16_ESO

i really liked the way Rift did the Costume Slots... i was able to customize my armor in every Slot with the ability to not Show anything ( say Shoulders) at the spot.

THAT was great... and as i am mixing the armor i wear atm (Boots=Altmer; Legs/Chest=Bosmer, Shoulder/Belt/Hands=Imperial and Head=Barbaric!) so i get a nice look for myself, wish i could just put those armor pieces in a separate Slots just for the style (no Stats from those items do Count!)

As the actual Disguises atm... they are all ... well ... not that great (VR6 one is ok ), and i would like to customize some parts of them... but NO, Set is Set and thats it

Eris

I wish they'd waited another 10 years to release this game so that they could include every possible option, zone, creature, etc., all at once. It would be awesome, we'd have 500 levels of content, scaling dungeons, personal vendors, housing, guild housing, landscape so big you'd never find the end, and even free ponies for everyone!

On the downside, the graphic engine would be a decade out of date and people would complain that you need to use that weird mouse thing and it doesn't work in 3D holo-screens or wristband consoles.

derpmonster

SadisticSavior wrote: »

You'll get it eventually. The game just launched.

A level 1 character can mix and match from almost 800 different complete sets of armor right now (differentiated by race/class/motif/sex/quality)....that is pretty damn good if you ask me. How many other games have that? At higher levels there is even more, and the armor itself will also change by level. I'd like this stuff too, but the game does not suck as it is right now either.

Dyes are probably a given eventually, as are more racial motifs.

800? You're gonna have to explain that one because there are only 15 different sets of armor in the game. 5 of those only have 1 specific look.

Nortar

First of all, let me say that I’m not a fan of oversized anime-style weapons and “colored plastic” armor.
So I really like that ESO armor has more realistic look.

But with that said, regardless of amount of differently named styles, armor in the game does look the same.
I’m playing a nord in Daggerfall Covenant, and I don’t stand out as a foreigner among a group of heavy plated characters – we all have the same grey bulk of similar shapes.

The armor styles need to different enough to be distinguished from some distance.
If you can’t tell a Breton robe from a Dunmer robe without studying ornamental patterns on high-quality screenshot, then they will (and currently do!) look the very same in the mids of action.

PS: Without complains there will be no sign for developers to change anything, so please don’t bring up the argument that the game is new.

Katkon

SadisticSavior wrote: »

You'll get it eventually. The game just launched.

A level 1 character can mix and match from almost 800 different complete sets of armor right now (differentiated by race/class/motif/sex/quality)....that is pretty damn good if you ask me.

I'm not sure I will - as I've been playing since beta. Sure, I can mix/match my heavy armor pieces, but let's face it - each set piece has a certain style that isn't aesthetically compatible with another. For example, few would use a heavy Argonian helmet with a heavy Imperial chestplate - right? Also, as mentioned previously, upgrading a piece of armor can lead to highly unpredictable aesthetic results color-wise. And even if you like the result, there's no way to harmonize the look of the non-upgraded pieces unless you also improve those 6 other pieces - which takes a lot of improvement resources.

Some carefully selected dyes - heck, could be the ones already in-game and included for each racial class, but with an ability to choose the ones we like the most - and/or the ability to color-match pieces would be a big improvement.

Again - what I'm trying to solve for is not to feel like one of the masses. But I do want my armor to be aesthetically compatible so I don't look like I picked it up at a garage sale piece by piece. The way I'm going about that today is by avoiding Imperial weapons - just to look a little different. And that's not getting me very far

Thunder

SadisticSavior wrote: »

A level 1 character can mix and match from almost 800 different complete sets of armor right now (differentiated by race/class/motif/sex/quality)....that is pretty damn good if you ask me. How many other games have that?

Please...

You can mix, but they most certainly won't match.

I agree with OP. I'm gravely disappointed in the armor appearance diversity, especially since crafting is such a major component of the game.

Lupinemw

I think what your missing is this game isn't even a month old. So your currently asking for elements that weren't in a lot of games from the off as well.

So why not let the developers concentrate on Bug Fixing/Spammers and then worry about the extras later on.

But if your bored of the game within the first month I have to question your ability to commit to any game long term.

Thunder

Lupinemw wrote: »

So why not let the developers concentrate on Bug Fixing/Spammers and then worry about the extras later on.

Do you suppose they have only 1 guy in the whole building, and when he's working on bugs nothing else is getting done?

The OP shared his opinion of an aspect of the game he finds very lacking. That's well within his right. Personally, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose giving us more options for armor customization over bug fixes every day of the week. However, thankfully it's not a matter of "we can do this, or we can do that."

wafffllesss

I'm not having trouble right now, but it will certainly be a good thing to have more customization options. I Haven't read all of the comments, but here are some Ideias:

• Dyes
• Cloaks
• Clothing (Like robes, shirts, etc... to be used above armor, they don't add stats.)
• Visible backpacks and bags.

SadisticSavior

derpmonster wrote: »

800? You're gonna have to explain that one because there are only 15 different sets of armor in the game. 5 of those only have 1 specific look.

2 Sexes
10 racial motifs (playable races + Imperial)
4 classes
4 levels of quality (technically 5)

= 320 sets of armor that have a specific look.

x 3 armor types (Metal, cloth, & leather) = 960

That is not counting any unique drops, special sets, or the higher level motifs (Primal, Ancient Elf, Deadric, ect). So the real number is probably a lot higher.

This figure is only if you want complete sets...if you are mixing and matching (which almost everyone does from what I've seen), the number is exponentially larger. It also does not account for level (armor can change appearance by level as well).

The number of combinations at this point is staggering. It's a lot. Dyes would be awesome, but it is not as if we have painfully limited choices right now. Thats a lot of choices already.

SadisticSavior

Katkon wrote: »

I'm not sure I will - as I've been playing since beta. Sure, I can mix/match my heavy armor pieces, but let's face it - each set piece has a certain style that isn't aesthetically compatible with another.

According to who? "aesthetically compatible" is a completely subjective term.

The game gives you lots of choices. Far more than most other games, especially at launch. Thats my point.

Katkon wrote: »

For example, few would use a heavy Argonian helmet with a heavy Imperial chestplate - right?

I have Breton metal shoulders/cloth hat and boots/breeches/gloves with Imperial metal Chest and Wood elf staff.

The game gives you choice, and I like that. I prefer being able to mix and match on my own to some designer deciding for me what he thinks looks good.

Katkon wrote: »

Also, as mentioned previously, upgrading a piece of armor can lead to highly unpredictable aesthetic results color-wise.

Then a better solution is to allow people to upgrade stats without upgrading looks. That would be really easy to implement IMO without needing to retool the entire game.

I'm not against dyes. I just think the criticism that they are not already present is unfair to the DEVs. I think it's unreasonable to expect it right after launch.

Demli

IMO, I'd like to see an inspect/examine player feature before seeing any additional appearance customization for armor.

Beryl

I agree that more customization is needed. Not just race style - this we have enough. I want to know in advance what I am crafting. It happened already too often to me that when I would craft heavy armour chest and greaves I would get them in different colours. Or shoulders and gloves of the same style - also can be completely mismatched. I am going for the quite expensive (because of the racial components) ancient elf style and the only reason I made a light armour chest is because it is a robe and I will not have trousers of a different colour any more. From the point of stats I would rather prefer the heavy armour chest... but cosmetically it is too risky.

The game desperately needs either a possibility to change the colour of your items or a cosmetic system which allows us to show an outfit of our choice. Something similar to all those disguises... let us craft them!

Beryl

SadisticSavior wrote: »

derpmonster wrote: »

800? You're gonna have to explain that one because there are only 15 different sets of armor in the game. 5 of those only have 1 specific look.

2 Sexes
10 racial motifs (playable races + Imperial)
4 classes
4 levels of quality (technically 5)

= 320 sets of armor that have a specific look.

x 3 armor types (Metal, cloth, & leather) = 960

Why do you mention sex and class in your list? When you make a robe it will be the same robe whether a man or a woman, a nord or a breton will wear it.

Chomppa

They should add skimpy armors .

Abeille

Beryl wrote: »

SadisticSavior wrote: »

derpmonster wrote: »

800? You're gonna have to explain that one because there are only 15 different sets of armor in the game. 5 of those only have 1 specific look.

2 Sexes
10 racial motifs (playable races + Imperial)
4 classes
4 levels of quality (technically 5)

= 320 sets of armor that have a specific look.

x 3 armor types (Metal, cloth, & leather) = 960

Why do you mention sex and class in your list? When you make a robe it will be the same robe whether a man or a woman, a nord or a breton will wear it.

People also seem to forget that the problem is that when half the players have max lvl yellow gear (in, say, a couple of months or so), we will only have the 14 racial motifs and the top sets as "variety".
The "we have hundreds of possibilities!" claim would only hold any water if it was possible to wear lower level/quality skins with higher level/quality stats.

Thechemicals

Chomppa wrote: »

They should add skimpy armors .

I agree. Skimpy stuff for men and women though. Leather chaps for all.

SadisticSavior

Beryl wrote: »

Why do you mention sex and class in your list?

Because the same armor looks different based on sex and class.

If you take the armor off a male character and put it on a female character, it will look different.

Beryl wrote: »

When you make a robe it will be the same robe whether a man or a woman, a nord or a breton will wear it.

It will not look the same. Breastplate for women, for example, are shaped like boobies. The model for them is not the same.

Several players on here have confirmed this is true with classes as well. The same metal chest piece will look different on a Sorcerer than on a Dragonknight.

Food4Thought

ploddab16_ESO wrote: »

To be honest I'd like to see more costume options put into the game, little outfits that we can put on to help hide the armour we have. At the moment, my Khajiit's rolling around in a raiment stolen from the Sea Drakes on Stros M'Kai, and as I like the look of it so much, I doubt she'll ever remove it!

Yes, as I understood from BETA, the disguises were suppose to be destroyed as soon as you went into combat. Somewhere along the line that changed and it now appears you can keep the disguises permanently. (If there is a downside it is that your character goes through the motions of a wardrobe change every time you hit a new instance.)

Frankly, I have two disguises right now. Oddly, every once in a blue moon I will get an NPC bandit who will come out of nowhere and attack me (even in town). But they are so low in level as to be laughable. I can only assume this is a result of the disguise - different factions reacting to it.

SadisticSavior

Abeille wrote: »

People also seem to forget that the problem is that when half the players have max lvl yellow gear (in, say, a couple of months or so), we will only have the 14 racial motifs and the top sets as "variety".
The "we have hundreds of possibilities!" claim would only hold any water if it was possible to wear lower level/quality skins with higher level/quality stats.

Level 1-4 characters Only:

10 Racial motifs (all playable races + Imperial)
3 armor types (cloth, Metal, and Leather)
2 quality types (Normal and Fine)
2 sexes
4 classes

10 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 4 = 240 480 distinct sets.

Thats assuming you cannot find anything better than Fine quality...in reality a Level 4 character would technically be able to wear 5 quality types.